Lance Gibson Jr. delivered an emphatic finish at UFC Seattle on Saturday after he blasted Chase Hooper with a huge elbow and then followed with some devastating knees to score a first round knockout.
After taking his first fight in the octagon on short notice, Gibson came back with something to prove and he definitely came through in his second appearance. Gibson shut down an early takedown attempt rom Hooper and then settled into his rhythm on the feet.
As the fighters were battling for position, Gibson hammered Hooper with a huge elbow strikes that badly hurt the 26-year-old prospect. Smelling blood in the water, Gibson unloaded a pair of knees to the head that dropped Hooper to the canvas as the offensive onslaught continued.
The referee already saw enough as he stepped into rescue Hooper, who stayed down on the canvas for a few moments after absorbing so much punishment. The end came at 2:56 in the first round.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Gibson said after his win. “This meant a lot to me. Last year, I called to Sean [Shelby] and Dana [White] on Instagram … I put a video out saying put me on the Seattle card. I put my heart in the cage, I don’t come out with the victory but now I’m here.
“I get this ‘W’ here. I think I finished with knee 26 years later after my dad finished with a knee.”
Gibson’s father fought in the UFC back in 2000 when he earned a knockout win with a nasty knee strike of his own so it was only fitting his son did the same.
After spending much of his career competing in Bellator, Gibson made the most of his UFC opportunity, especially after his first win and first finish on Saturday at UFC Seattle.
As for Hooper, he drops his second straight knockout loss after falling to Alexander Hernandez in similar fashion back at UFC 319 in 2025.
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